Food research

We assist food companies remain competitive in a global marketplace, while satisfying consumer demand for healthy, safe, tasty food. Massey University has the unique ability to integrate expertise across the entire food and health value chain.

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Research projects

A good gut feeling for overall health

The diversity of the bacteria in our gut could be a vital marker for our overall health. Massey researchers want to test whether taste perception, dietary intake, eating behaviour, sleep and physical activity influence and modify the gut microbiome and how it impacts health, such as metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes.

Can eating chicken feathers build muscle?

A study by PhD students Drs Emma Crum and Yanita McLeay, with supervision from Professor Steve Stannard and Dr Matthew Barnes, suggests chicken feathers could have potential as a protein supplement for people wanting to build or maintain lean body mass. Their findings have been published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Cultural factors key to health of older Māori

Findings from a study by Massey University and the University of Auckland suggests more focus in the health sector is needed to foster culturally appropriate food practices for older Māori that may lead to fewer hospitalisations and lower mortality rates.

Dairy shown to improve bone health of Kiwi children

Massey University research shows children drinking milk at school have greater increases in the size and strength of their bones, compared to children who are not involved in the Fonterra Milk for Schools programme.

Defining the New Zealand Protein Market

In this research project Professor Christoph Schumacher worked on modelling the global protein market (in terms of human and animal supply and demand) five, 10 and 15 years into the future. The project also worked to define the position of New Zealand in the context of the global protein market.

Designer ice cream

Creating a low fat ice cream that retained the creaminess and mouth feel of the full fat version was a challenge taken on by Massey researchers Matt Golding and Allan Hardacre.

Working on a hunch that interactions between starches and lipid emulsifiers might provide a new mechanism for foam stabilisation, they saw an opportunity in the low-fat and fat-free ice cream market. These food manufacturers use emulsifying or foaming agents instead of fat (cream) to manipulate the structure of their products to improve its texture.

Does a sweet tooth affect sugar intake?

Our research identifying a link between taste perception and total calorie intake and processed food consumption supports the scientific evidence for an urgent need for food reformulation to improve health outcomes.

Energy-smart food

When the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) wanted to know how to produce, process and deliver food with lower greenhouse gas emissions, they approached Massey’s energy expert Professor Ralph Sims.

He led an international team and produced a report (Energy-Smart Food for People and Climate) that addresses the challenge. The FAO plans to action the report's recommendation and will encourage local and national governments to consider developing and implementing policies and measures.

High performance honey

Today’s mānuka honey industry is based on wild harvest. However, most of the economically accessible wild mānuka is already being harvested by beekeepers. Honey harvesters are turning to planting elite mānuka, but how does a landowner choose which variety to plant on their particular block?

A team from Massey University, led by Professor Richard Archer of Massey’s Riddet Institute, is contributing to the science, establishing a series of field trials to identify how combinations of genetics and environment influence mānuka establishment, growth, honey yield and quality across several potential commercial cultivars.

High risk of malnutrition in older people

A study led by Associate Professor Carol Wham from the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition aimed to investigate malnutrition risk in older adults at the point of hospital admission. Almost 75 per cent of older adults involved in the study were found to be at risk of malnourishment, or were malnourished, when they were admitted to hospital.

Ingredient functionality: Extracting the best out of Mamaku gum

This viscoelastic gum is extracted from the fronds of the native New Zealand black tree fern (well known as mamaku in te reo Māori). Massey scientists have been investigating the properties of this gum for over ten years. The gum, a polysaccharide has unique flow (rheological) properties at the shear rates in the stomach.

Student industry projects

In their fourth year of the Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours, students undertake research projects with industry. Contact us if your business has opportunities for student projects.

Development of a cook-in-pack ready meal product

Fresh value-added products, particularly convenience foods, are the key growth area for food companies. This project focused on developing a ready to heat meal product that can be cooked in the packaging, either with a microwave or oven.

Student: Joanna Stacey

Factors Influencing the Viscosity of Manuka Honey

Industrial sponsor: Manuka Health New Zealand Limited

Manuka honey is not only known for its delicious taste, but also for its medicinal properties. Its increasing worldwide popularity means that more and more manuka honey is being processed. Due to this, efficient processing techniques are of the utmost importance.

One way of improving processing efficiency is by knowing how the viscosity of manuka honey will be affected by different parameters. These parameters include the water content, sugar composition, methylglyoxal content and temperature. The aim of this project was to measure the different parameters and flow behaviour of manuka honey, and to formulate a model for predicting the viscosity.

Student: Rachel Waite

Fijian Ginger Value Adding

For the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Program (PHAMA)

Investigating processing options for mature second grade ginger in Fiji. The aim was to produce a commercially viable value-adding process, to develop a new industry supply chain, and boost the local economy.
This project involved a market analysis on ginger products currently available, an economic feasibility analysis and the development of a crushed ginger paste.

Student: Morgan Christy-Jones

Spray-dried fruit extract

Industry sponsor: New Zealand Pharmaceuticals Ltd

This project worked on specifying the best conditions for spray-drying an anthocyanin-rich extract to produce a free-flowing powder. Key was being able to maximise the yield of the extract from the spray dryer, minimise the loss of anthocyanin in the extract, and minimise the moisture content.

Student: Leo Lai

Awards and recognition

Massey University graduate Dushanka Hettige has been awarded the 2018 Bernice Kelly Award from Dietitians NZ for the most improved full-time dietetic student, from either Massey University, University of Otago or University of Auckland.

The prestigious Dietitians NZ Award of Excellence has been awarded to Dr Carol Wham from Massey University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Dietetics.

Associate Professor David Rowlands from the School of Sport and Exercise was honoured as the winner of the 2017 Gatorade Sport Science Institute (GSSI) - American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Sport Nutrition Award for his study entitled, Multiple-Transportable Carbohydrate Effect on Long-Distance Triathlon Performance.

Facilities

BodPod

The BodPod is an advanced piece of equipment that accurately, easily and reliably measures body composition and then body fat using an air displacement method. Massey University has the only two BodPods in New Zealand. We also have a PeaPod for infants.

DXA machine

The DXA (Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) uses two low-dose x-rays that read bone mass and soft tissue simultaneously. It is connected to specialised computer software that is able to reconstruct an image of underlying tissues, bone, fat and fat free body mass.

This technology is the gold standard for assessment of body composition as well as bone density.

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Microbrewery

The Massey Microbrewery is a fully functioning brewing facility on the Manawatū campus.

The facility incorporates CIP cleaning systems, plate and tube heat exchangers, pumping systems along with a sophisticated computer-based process control and a data acquisition system. It has a 200L brew capacity, 10 200L combined fermentation and conditioning tanks. The brewery is also used for teaching food microbiology.

Research centres

Centre for Metabolic Health Research

The Centre for Metabolic Health Research facilitates interdisciplinary research in metabolic health, with key aspects being the prevention of metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and the maintenance of mobility and functionality throughout the lifecycle.

Centre for Postharvest and Refrigeration Research

The Centre for Postharvest and Refrigeration Research does research and consultancy to provide cost-effective solutions to industry problems. We work on a wide range of fruit, vegetable, cut flower, seafood and aquaculture products.

Massey Agritech Partnership

The Partnership is focused on working with industry on research and development to provide relevant, leading-edge agricultural and horticultural technology. We have an active postgraduate student programme and provide site-specific consultancy.

New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre

The Centre, hosted by Massey University, focuses on better ways of detecting hazards in the food production chain and reducing the risk of food-borne illness to consumers. The Centre aims to provide an internationally credible science base for decisison-making in public health and the food industry.

Nutrition and Dietetic Centre

The Nutrition and Dietetic Centre combines the clinical, nutritional and research expertise of Massey dietitians and nutritionists with the enthusiasm and creativity of our dietetics students. The Centre is based on the Auckland campus.

Riddet Institute

The Riddet Institute is a premier centre for fundamental and strategic scientific research. Its area of expertise is at the intersection of food material science, novel food processing, human nutrition and gastrointestinal biology.